“Music is the universal language of mankind.”—Henry Wordsworth Longfellow
Grades 5-9
Reading Level:
Grade 6
Review and Thoughts
Pam Munoz Ryan begins her story with a legend. A little boy lost in the woods begins to read the story of three princesses cursed to wander the woods. He is eventually found, disoriented and confused. His memories of what took place are soon dismissed and forgotten. Continue reading The Universal Language: A Review of ‘Echo’
The Donkey That No One Could Ride
[A tale of faith]
“Be strong and steadfast; have no fear or dread of them, for it is the LORD, your God, who marches with you; he will never fail you or forsake you.” – Deuteronomy 31:6
Grade Level: K-3
Donkey was a small, frail creature. He knew that was accurate because everyone told him it was true. Even his owner abandoned him because he wasn’t able to carry anyone or do any kind of work so he considered Donkey worthless. Donkey was left alone to ponder his weak and frightened life. Then, quite by surprise he was brought to a man who was different than anyone he had ever met before. The man’s voice was gentle as he explained that he wanted Donkey to carry him into the city. Donkey knew in his heart he could not do what the man asked because he was a desperate loser. This man told him that “the weaker a person is the more strength he would give if they had faith.” Donkey didn’t know why he believed the man, but he felt his powerful love. Suddenly, he gained strength and became more courageous! He humbly accepted the duty before him and carried the man to the town. They walked through throngs of people who were actually praising the man as a prophet and savior. Donkey was overjoyed that he was chosen to carry a king even though he was “young, weak, and small.” Continue reading Reminders of God’s Love: A Review of Three Books by Anthony DeStefano
“Since it is so likely that children will meet cruel enemies, let them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage.” – C.S. Lewis
Grades 2-3 [according to common core]
Grade 3.5 [according to Scholastic – reflects the grade level at which a student reading on grade could read the book independently]
Interest Level: K – 2
Review and Comments:
The Irish Cinderlad by Shirley Climo is a story that takes place in ages past in Ireland. It is a familiar tale based on Doublas Hyde’s “The Bracket Bull” and on Sara Cone Bryant’s “Billy Beg and His Bull.” It also brings to mind the very familiar fairy tale, Cinderella. Continue reading Achieving Hero Status: A Review of ‘The Irish Cinderlad’
“When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.” – Margery Wilson, The Velveteen Rabbit
Grades K – 1 [according to common core]
Grade 1 [according to Scholastic – reflects the grade level at which a student reading on grade could read the book independently]
Interest Level: Pre-K – 1
Review and Comments:
Knuffle Bunny by Mo Williams is a humorous story that both parents and children will enjoy. Mo Willems has captured an authentic moment in the everyday life of a father and daughter – one of those moments that is better appreciated when reminiscing after some time has passed. Continue reading Lost and Found: A Review of ‘Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale’
“It seems to me that there are two types of pro-lifers active in the cause. The first simply wants to win, and in their minds, they do this by saving the baby. They are the right fighters who don’t seem to give any consideration to the other lives involved, such as the mother, father, and clinic workers. Their goal is to save the baby at all costs.
Of course we all want to save the baby, but the second group of people I see in the movement have realized that the hearts, minds, and souls of many others are at stake as well. They are the people who excite me and encourage me on a daily basis. They are the people who want to help in any way possible. They want to provide so many avenues of support that abortion would be unthinkable. They offer solutions instead of slogans, prayers instead of protests, self-sacrifice instead of self-righteousness.”—Abby Johnson
Grades 11-12+
Review and Thoughts
I’m pretty familiar with Abby Johnson, her And Then There Were None organization, and her first book, Unplanned, so I was excited to hear more from her. The Walls Are Talking is a book that tells the different stories of women who have experienced first-hand what it is like to work in an abortion clinic. Let me tell you, this was a tough read. Continue reading A Necessary Read: A Review of ‘The Walls Are Talking’
“Nothing great is ever achieved without much enduring.” ― St. Catherine of Siena
Grades K-1 [according to common core]
Grade 3.1 [according to Scholastic – reflects the grade level at which a student reading on grade could read the book independently]
Interest Level: Grades 3-5
Review and Comments:
I looked forward to reading this historical fiction, my favorite genre, and wasn’t disappointed as the story and illustrations drew me in from the first page. This very touching account is based on a real life story of a little girl and her mother soon after WWII when life continued to be very difficult. Supplies and food were limited and no one had any money. The fact that Anna needed a new winter coat presented quite a dilemma for her mother. Continue reading A Mother’s Plan: A Review of ‘A New Coat for Anna’
“The things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” Aristotle
Grades K – 1 [according to common core]
Grade 1.1 [according to Scholastic – reflects the grade level at which a child reading on grade could read the book independently]
Interest Level: Grades K – 3
Review and Comments:
Little Mouse is going to spend some time in the barn collecting the yummy tidbits dropped by the animals. He is very excited to begin his day but first he must get dressed. The story follows the progression of Little Mouse getting dressed from his underpants to his jacket. He reminds himself to put the tags in the back and talks himself through pushing buttons through button holes. When he is completely dressed his mother points out that mice do not wear clothes! In a flash, Little Mouse is free of clothing and scampering to the barn. Continue reading A Childhood Lesson: A Review of ‘Little Mouse Gets Ready’
“Fairy tales do not tell children that dragons exist. Children already know that dragons exist. Fairy tales tell children the dragon can be killed.” —G. K. Chesterton
Grades 9-12+
Review and Thoughts:
I have to admit, I am not a huge fan of fantasy. With the exception of the more classic fantasies like the “The Chronicles of Narnia”, “The Lord of the Rings”, and “The Harry Potter Series”, I generally steer clear of the imaginary worlds invented in others’ heads. I have also found that more modern fantasies reduce themselves to including a lot of sex and violence to make the story more captivating. (“Game of Thrones” anyone?) I am happy to say, that when I read “The Land’s Whisper” I was pleasantly surprised. Continue reading Reclaiming the Beauty of Fantasy: A Review of ‘The Land’s Whisper’
“The earth has yielded its harvest; God, our God, blesses us.”–Psalm 67:7
Grade 3.6 [according to Scholastic – reflects the grade level at which a student reading on grade could read the book independently]
Interest Level: Grade K – 3
Review and Comments:
This is the story of the life cycle of an orange beginning with a blossom and ending with friends sharing the sweet fruit. As all organisms go through stages of development this story shows how bees, rich soil, sunshine, and rain help the fruit mature into edible deliciousness. Then the reader follows the processing of the fruit. It is carefully picked, transported through different locations, and finally arrives at the grocery store. Continue reading The Land Has Yielded Its Produce: A Review of ‘An Orange in January’
“……‘home’ must always be the loveliest spot in the world, no matter what fairer lands may lie under alien stars.” ― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of the Island
Grades K-1 [according to common core]
3.1 [according to Scholastic – reflects the grade level at which a student reads on grade could read the book independently]
Review and Comments:
Finding the perfect home is a challenging goal for Mr. and Mrs. Mallard. They are looking for the ideal place to raise a family – a quiet neighborhood, close to the waterfront and places of interest, and a safe location. Their Boston area search continues until they settle on a cozy little island in the middle of a pond in the Public Garden. Everything is going well until Mrs. Mallard determines the area is too dangerous so they extend their search. Of course being mallards they explore the area that encompasses the Charles River. Eventually they find a splendid location on a small quiet island on the river. They settle in and then spend some time touring the surrounding area. Along the way they meet a policeman named Michael who feeds them peanuts. Michael becomes their friend and a favorite stop on their daily stroll. Continue reading Home Sweet Home: A Review of ‘Make Way for Ducklings’
